Rory's Boy
by Michaelover101
Summary: Tristan's friend comes to visit and some surprising feelings arise. Based on the song Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield. Trory
1. Meeting James

_**Title:**_ Rory's Boy

_**Author: **_Michaelover101

_**Summery: **_Tristan's friend comes to visit and some surprising feelings arise. Based on the song Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield. Trory

_**Rating:**_ M

_**Disclaimer: **_not mine

_**Beta: **_Flynn

_Jessie is a friend, yeah_

_I know he's been a good friend of mine_

_But lately something's changed_

_That ain'y hard to define_

_Jessie's got himself a girlfriend_

_And I want to make her mine_

_**Chapter 1: Meeting James**_

"So his name is…" Rory asked as Tristan drove towards the airport.

"James," Tristan repeated for the umpteenth time.

"And you know him how?"

"We went to elementary school together," Tristan reminded her. "I swear I told you all of this."

"No, you didn't," Rory said crossing her arms over her chest, glaring slightly at her boyfriend. "You told me last week as I was knocking on my grandmother's door that we were picking up your best friend at the airport, and just as I was about to ask you about it, my grandmother just happened to open the door distracting me like you wanted. You then proceeded to avoid my questions spending the rest of the week talking to said friend," she ranted.

"You're jealous," Tristan laughed, obviously amused by the situation.

"No!" Rory responded quickly.

"Yeah, you are! You're jealous that I'm going to be sharing our first summer together with my best friend. A best friend you just happened to not know about."

"You're crazy!" She said rolling her eyes. "You know I'm not that petty, Tristan. I'm just feeling a bit left out that you haven't told me about your best friend. You know all about Lane."

"Yeah, because she hangs out with us ninety percent of the time."

"That still doesn't give you an excuse to not tell me about James."

Tristan rolled his eyes as he started looking for a spot to park in the crowded airport. Knowing Rory, she'd forgive him for not telling her about James then hold it over his head for the rest of their lives.

Every summer his best friend James returned to Hartford to spend the vacation with his father during which he and Tristan would inevitably hang out.

Since he and Rory had gotten together in their sophomore year of Yale, when a chance meeting at the campus pub had them reconnecting, they had never had a summer together. Either she was traveling with her mom for some mother daughter bonding, like her sophomore, junior and senior year of Yale or he was off working for his dad, like his sophomore and senior year of Yale along with the summers after that.

While he was traveling, Rory would spend the entire summer with her mother, saying that it was hard enough saying goodbye to him at the airport, she couldn't stand the thought of seeing him every day before he left and then not. And in that way summers apart were a bit easier on him.

Though he usually came back the last few weeks of August, she would refuse to leave Stars Hollow until it was absolutely necessary. They saw each other and talked on the phone more, and she would visit the apartment sporadically, but staying in Stars Hollow. In which Tristan would invite James over until he headed back to California the first week of September, the same week Rory pulled herself away from her mom and came home to the apartment they shared, the apartment James had shared with him those last few weeks of his stay.

The only difference this summer was that James was staying at the apartment for 3 months instead of 3 weeks because his father's new wife was getting the house renovated and they were currently living at the Waldorf-Austria in New York.

"I met James in the second grade," Tristan started getting out of the car at the same time Rory did. He locked the car stuffing his keys into the loose jeans and took her hand as they crossed the street. "We were inseparable, always got in trouble together, joint birthdays since the days were close together, all that stuff. But his parents split in the seventh grade. His mom got custody and his dad got holidays. So he stayed in California, but still spends holidays down here, including summer."

"In which you guys hang out."

"Right," Tristan nodded.

"And how is it I never heard of him? I mean… five years, Tristan. Wait, when I come home in September and the apartment reeks of beer and you say you had the guys over, was it really just James?"

Tristan winced. "I wasn't exactly lying, I did have the guys over, but James just stayed there. And you were always with your mom so I didn't see the big deal. The topic of James just never came up."

"Yeah, because I didn't know he existed!"

"Well, when you put it that way it makes it sound like I've been hiding him!"

"Because you have."

Tristan paused and looked at his irate girlfriend who seemed to be avoiding eye contact. "Look, I'm sorry I never told you about James. I don't know why I didn't, I just decided not to. I never meant for this to hurt you and fight about. But if it makes you feel better, I told him a lot of good stuff about you."

Rory sighed and looked at him. "What gate number?"

"Really? That easy?" Tristan asked shocked.

"That easy," she nodded.

Tristan smiled, leaning down and kissing her before mumbling "Gate 12."

Rory smiled. "Which is over there," she said pulling away from him, but keeping her hand in his and dragging him towards the gate.

XxxxxxxX 

The plastic of the leather seats burnt his arms as the Connecticut sun hit the airport windows, making the air conditioning the airport had worthless. He was overheated and uncomfortable in the jeans and polo shirt he had decided to wear. And it hadn't helped that he'd been stuck between a heavyset man who'd been sweating profusely and a young mother with her crying baby son who seemed to feel the heat from 20,000 feet.

Every year he always seemed to forget about just how bad Connecticut summers were compared to the fresh-aired heat of California. Yet the summers in Hartford had been the best times of his life. It was the perfect weather for water balloon fights and nightly pool dips at the neighbors'.

Through the dark lenses of his sunglasses he spotted his best friend being dragged into the terminal by a girl about their age. He recognized her from the photos Tristan had sent at Christmas every year. Joint Christmas cards. He'd laughed at the first one, never thinking Tristan would be that serious about a girl but four years later the cards kept coming and it was the same girl. The exact girl that was pulling his best friend's arm out of the socket.

Her long brown hair was swept up in a messy bun as if she'd just grabbed it in the haste of leaving their home. Her milky skin seemed to be unmarred by the rays of sun, still pale in complexion, but healthy. Her arms were the same pure white, dressed in a pink tank top and her long legs clad in a pair of Daisy Duke shorts.

He'd once told Tristan that he was jealous of him for finding a girl that beautiful and who matched his love with her own. It was then that Tristan had admitted that it was her eyes that had attracted him to her in the first place. And as they neared, James saw exactly what he meant. Pictures didn't do those eyes justice. Big and blue so indescribable he could see how they could attract anyone's attention.

He had no problem admitting that when Tristan had told him about her he'd fallen in love with the idea of her. Intelligent, witty, family-oriented, faithful, loyal, best friend and from what Tristan had told him, an excellent lover. What was there not to love? But he had to wonder that if seeing her in the flesh would change his opinion of her. Was she as perfect for his best friend as Tristan claimed?

He unstuck himself from the plastic seat when he noticed they couldn't find him. He walked over, a smile gracing his features.

He was attractive, with his lean body that told the world that not only did he work out but he took good care of his body. He was tanned from his days surfing in the California Ocean; his blonde hair was now flecked with brown because of all the time he spent in the sun.

He had dark brown eyes that showed every single one of his emotions to a person who looked close enough. And a nose that he happened to hate. It'd been broken by Tristan when they were eight and again in football his junior year, so that it had a bump on the bridge and he thought it too long for his face.

"Tris," he greeted as he got closer.

Tristan laughed and pulled him into a hug which James returned with a laugh of his own. They let go only holding each other's forearms as they looked each other over, as they did every year.

"You look the same," James nodded.

"So do you. A bit darker from last time, but the same," Tristan nodded as well as they let go of each other.

"It's the beach bunnies, man," James laughed running a hand through his hair. "Like a moth to a flame you know."

Tristan 'ahh' understanding but laughed. "Oh, this is Rory," he said pulling her forward from her spot a few feet away where she'd been observing them.

"Ah, the long-time girlfriend. I've heard a lot about you. It's great to finally meet you."

She smiled and shook his outstretched hand. "It's nice to meet you as well. Though I've heard nothing about you."

"Really?" James asked surprised as he looked over at his best friend who looked a bit sheepish.

"You just never came up in conversation is all."

James frowned as they made their way out of the terminal and towards baggage claim. "You mean, when you guys met there was no basic 'get to know you' conversation and the topic of best friends never came up once in the five years you've been together?"

"Thank you!" Rory exclaimed.

"See, now this is making me feel bad!" Tristan groaned as they grabbed James's bags. He shouldered one while James grabbed the other. When Rory tried to help, they both subtly waved off her attempts.

"Good!" Rory said reaching into Tristan's pocket and grabbing the keys. "Serves you right for leaving things like this out. I deserve to know you have a best friend. I mean next you're going to tell me you have a kid."

"Wait, you haven't told her about Kimmy?" James asked seriously.

"What?!" Rory asked wide-eyed.

"He'd kidding!" Tristan said quickly, glaring at a laughing James as Rory quickened her step. "Mar! He's kidding!" They walked into the parking lot, Rory striding in front of them leading them to the car. "Thanks, man, I may be sleeping on the couch tonight."

James laughed. "She'll get over it… Right?" He asked, not quite sure just how easygoing Tristan's girlfriend was.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Tristan waved off, then asked. "So are you ready to stay with us?"

"Yeah, I mean if you're still offering. I don't want to impose or anything."

"You've used the guest room before, man."

"Yeah, but never with your girl around."

Tristan shrugged as he threw the bags into the trunk Rory had opened. "It's the same, only with sounds coming from the other room late at night."

"Oh jeez," James winced as he got into the backseat.

"Hey, we are a healthy 25-year-old couple with needs," Tristan laughed as Rory hit his arm.

"Tristan!"

"What? It's true!"

"Ignore him," Rory said turning in her seat to face James. "You know, if you don't have any plans for this weekend, you're welcome to join us in Stars Hollow. It's Tristan's first summer down there."

"Stars Hollow?" James asked, not knowing the little town that she spoke of.

"It's about half an hour south of Hartford," she explained. "Really small town. We have a Start of Summer Festival and there's a massive water balloon fight to kick it off. Pisses Taylor off to no end."

"Taylor?"

"He's like their mayor," Tristan explained. "I'm telling you, this town is crazier than the old lady Brackett down the street."

James shivered at the old lady's name, causing Rory to frown confused as they made their way to the apartment she and Tristan shared. "Old lady Brackett?"

"She was this old lady that lived down the street from us when we were kids. Rich, widowed, hated kids since she had none of her own. Though we think she would have hated them even if they were hers. Anyway, every year in the summer kids used to throw water balloons at her windows and porch." James explained. 

"And at Halloween we'd throw rotten eggs at her."

"At her house you mean," Rory corrected.

"Yeah sure, babe," Tristan laughed

Rory gasped looking at the two laughing men. "You're horrible!"

"No, it was crazy. She'd come out of her house chasing us all off her property in nothing but a skirt, her old white bra and ratty pink slippers with her broom. Grossest thing you'd ever see as a 10-year-old boy."

"Craziest too," Tristan laughed. Rory sat comfortable in her seat as Tristan and James recounted stories of their youth and the trouble they would get in.

She was hurt that Tristan had hidden such a huge part of his life from her. James seemed to know everything about Tristan vividly from the seventh grade down, a time Tristan barely revisited because of his dislike for his parents.

For the longest time Rory had thought that Derek, his old college roommate, had been his best friend. She'd remembered him from Chilton and remembered seeing him and Tristan hang out a lot during those few years of high school.

Tristan had explained that he'd met Derek in middle school and on, and were really great friends. But she'd never heard him use the word 'best' in front of it. Not until that night in front of her grandmother's door. She'd been so surprised to hear the 'best' in front of the 'friend' and annoyed that he refused to answer anything about James.

But watching them interact, finishing each other's thoughts, trailing off and laughing, already knowing the ending of the story, she knew why Tristan hadn't told her about James. He had been keeping the best part of his childhood to himself and was just now sharing it with her. And that's what made her smile.

She reached out and grabbed his hand that was resting on the stick shift. "You guys make a cute couple," she teased as Tristan parked next to her silver Audi.

"What?" Tristan asked shutting off the car.

Rory nodded. "The way you guys can read each other's thoughts, it's cute, very schmoopy. I don't even think we're at that stage yet, Tristan," she giggled as she got out of the car.

Tristan frowned over at James who was smirking. "So would that make you the girl in this relationship?" James laughed.

Tristan's frown turned into a glare as they both got out of the car, James chuckling as he helped Tristan unload the car as Tristan scowled. They followed Rory into the building, then to the elevators.

"So you've known Tristan a long time?" She asked as the elevator took them to the 14th floor where their apartment was.

James nodded. "Close to 20 years."

"So you've got stories?"

James laughed. "Oh yeah, lots of them."

"Oh come on," Tristan groaned as they walked down the hall to the apartment.

"Tristan refuses to revisit his past with me. Says that all that matters is that he isn't the same high school boy I once knew and what happened in the past stays in the past." She rolled her yes. "Of course that didn't seem to apply when I told him everything that happened in _my_ past."

"Well, in elementary school," James started as they dropped his bags at the door and Rory led them to the kitchen, handing them each a water bottle as she settled herself on the counter top. Tristan walked over and settled himself between her legs, her hands dropping around his neck and chin resting on top of his head. "Tristan was believed to be a saint, but we were the ones that pulled most of the pranks at that school. Tristan's signature was the stink bomb, of course."

"Oh gross!" Rory groaned. "That was you at Chilton?!"

Tristan laughed but nodded. "Guilty."

Rory shook her head but laughed. "I think it's funny. I just wish you would have avoided putting them in the girls' bathroom. We used to go in there just as the bomb went off. My uniforms never completely got that smell off. My grandmother had to buy me four news ones. And of course my mother took that opportunity to make the hem higher each time."

"Exactly," Tristan smirked, causing Rory to hit his arm.

"Genius," James laughed as he launched into more stories of Tristan and his past with Tristan groaning the entire way or adding his own details of the account.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

_**A.N.:**_This was written for Build a Fic summer challenge, but I got carried away and ended up written a loooong one shot, so after talking to the Ickles I decided it was better to post this as a multi-chapter. Plus time didn't allow me to make the changes that I would have made to get it upon Build a Fic. So I hope you guys enjoy it!

Kassandra


	2. The Morning Conversation

_And she's lovin him with that body_

_I just know it_

_Yeah 'n' he's holding her in his arms_

_late, late at night_

_**Chapter 2: The Morning Conversation**_

Tristan rolled over, looking at the red numbers of his clock. It read 5:03 am. Rolling over his kissed the base of Rory's neck.

"Go back to sleep," she groaned, turning over to face him, the sheet slipping down, revealing her naked body.

"Can't," he whispered, his fingers lightly tracing the outline of her hip and upward.

"I'll make it worth your while," she teased, arching towards him as his palm found her breast and weighed it in his hand, his thumb brushing against her rose-colored nipple.

"Really?" He smirked. "This early in the morning?"

She nodded as he hovered just over her lips, knowing that if he followed through with kissing her, it'd lead to some fun activities, but he would never get out of bed.

Groaning at his idiocy, he rolled over and swung his legs off the bed scanning the floor for a pair of boxers. Their room was a mess. They had dirty laundry scattered in one side of the room, while the other side was scattered with semi-clean clothes that they took off in the haste of their nightly activities. It made finding a pair of boxers or socks nearly impossible.

He heard Rory give a frustrated groan and wrap her arms around his neck as her chest made contact with his back and her cheek laid on his shoulder.

"You are un-trainable, baby," she whispered nipping at his neck.

Tristan laughed as he turned and kissed her. "I know the 5 am wake-ups bug you, but I can't stop them," he muttered against her lips.

"I could have sworn I tired you out just enough last night to at least get you to sleep in till 6," she said as he pulled away.

"I was _very_ tired last night," Tristan agreed, eyeing a pair of boxers in the corner of the room and getting off the bed leaving Rory kneeling naked in the center of the bed, creating a very tempting picture. "You did a very good job. I believe I even applauded you after the third time."

Rory grinned. "Yes, yes, you did."

"But my body is used to being tired and waking up at five." He pulled a pair of basketball shorts on and his undershirt. "Thanks to my commanding officers," he said as she scowled, cursing them in her head. "You go back to sleep. I'll be back in an hour and I'll come back to bed and try to sleep a bit more with you. Just like I do every morning." He grabbed a Yale sweatshirt from the floor, making sure it was his and not Rory's before pulling it on.

"Turn on the coffee," she muttered lying down on his pillow and pulling the covers up. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before leaving the room, sneakers in hand.

"Morning," he greeted as he saw James sitting at the counter.

"Morning," James groaned.

They'd been loud, just as Tristan had warned. He hadn't taken it seriously, but late at night he heard the banging of the walls and couldn't help the groan of frustration that had left his lips as he buried himself deeper into his covers to drown out the noise.

"How'd you sleep?" Tristan asked pulling on the shoes, quickly tying the laces.

James glared. "You're loud."

Tristan winced as he started enough coffee for three and opened the drawer by the sink taking out his mini iPod that he jogged with. "Sorry, I'll pick up some earplugs on the way home."

"Funny," James said dryly.

"I'll be back in about an hour. Rory's in the room trying to sleep. She doesn't take kindly to getting woken up at this hour. But she may be out once she smells the coffee brewing."

James nodded as Tristan left, poured himself some already brewed coffee and sat back down.

He had watched them interact all of yesterday, when they had told stories of how they got together or how Tristan watched her out of the corner of his eye when she moved around the apartment as if, if he didn't keep an eye on her, she'd disappear, or just the light touches they gave each other.

Even in the dead of summer when no one could stand to be touched because the excess heat other bodies gave made it too uncomfortable, Tristan found a way to brush his hand down her arm, kiss her lightly or just hold her hand. And he seemed to be doing it unconsciously. He saw his best friend really happy and couldn't help the envy he felt in not being able to have that.

James had been witness to Tristan's change in middle school. How he'd gone from a happy-go-lucky kid that never hurt anyone intentionally to the sullen boy that talked back and hadn't given a damn, all because his parents had marital problems.

Unfortunately, unlike James's parents, Tristan parents hadn't found divorce to be the answer. Their answer was to take all their anger out on Tristan. And while at school he shrugged it off as if nothing, few knew just how much it had affected him.

It was why, James had realized when Rory had been telling him stories of Tristan's high school days, Tristan had acted out the way he had. He knew that if he'd been there or if Tristan's parents had gone about their marriage a different way, it would have been a completely different Tristan present.

Tristan was a romantic at heart and he wasn't afraid to show it. But the inner problems he had had to deal with in his teenage years had made him keep the romantic side of himself locked up. So instead of wooing a girl (like Rory) he went back to second grade tactics of pulling their hair.

Not that he approved of the method. He had hit Tristan upside the head, because Rory's version (which had varied greatly from the version Tristan had told him when Rory had first entered his life) seemed more likely to be true.

Sipping his morning coffee, he watched the sun rise and sighed. Another hot day for Hartford, Connecticut. That massive water balloon fight was looking better and better.

He heard a groan come from the hall. Turning he saw Rory standing there in one of Tristan's long dress shirts and pink cotton panties, her hair a mess and rubbing her eyes.

"You're an early riser," she groaned, padding her way to the coffee maker.

"Sorry I woke you. I thought I was being quiet."

"Are you a runner?" She asked pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Uh, no, I surf."

"Tristan's a runner," she said leaning against the counter, feeling the steam of the coffee hit her face. "He can't seem to get out of the habit of waking up at 5 am, no matter how tired I get him during the night." She took a sip. "I've tried everything and he's still up and running at 5 am. He wakes me up, tells me to go back to sleep knowing it's going to be impossible and leaves."

"Yeah, he left about half an hour ago."

"I know, I've been staring at the ceiling." She took another drink. "I usually come out of the room 'bout half an hour after he leaves, get my coffee, go back to bed, then wait for him to lay back down next to me. But I heard you guys talking and doubted he'd be back to bed."

"Once again, sorry for ruining your morning."

She shrugged. "Eh, I have him everyday, you only have him for the summer. Frankly I'm tired of him."

James laughed as they continued to drink their coffee silently. He watched her eyes go from a clouded and dull blue to a very awake and vibrant electric blue. He watched as she looked at him, her cheeks turning bright red as she looked from him to the shirt she was wearing. Her face flushed redder as she turned around and went back to the room just as Tristan walked in.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the hem of his shirt. "Was that Rory?"

"Yeah."

"What'd you do?"

James laughed putting up his hands in defense. "I didn't do shit. She came out, we talked and I think she got embarrassed by something."

"Hmm," Tristan grabbed a water bottle and looked at James before taking a packet out of his shorts pocket and throwing over at the counter, causing James to laugh as Tristan made his way to the bedroom.

Opening the door and closing it quietly, he noticed the empty coffee mug on the nightstand and a lump under the covers in the middle of the bed.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he set down his water on the nightstand and called her name quietly, afraid she'd bury herself deeper if he startled her.

"Rory?"

"Hmm?"

"Did James do something?"

"No."

"Is anything wrong?"

He smiled as he saw her head leave the blankets sanctuary and he had to wonder if she was hot under there. It was six in the morning and already nearing the high nineties outside, and they had yet to turn on the air conditioner for the day.

"I went to the kitchen."

"Uh huh."

"And I went out in your shirt…"

"And underwear," he pointed out, knowing she would never be comfortable just going out in his shirt though he was comfortable enough to walk in the buff, and he had. Truthfully it was because he never had the energy to grab a pair of boxers from the floor if it was just the two of them.

"Yeah."

"And?"

"And… Well, you know how I'm not _really_ awake without my coffee."

"Right."

"Well, I sort of insinuated that I tired you out."

Tristan frowned, then laughed as he realized what she meant. "Sex-wise you mean?"

She groaned and buried her head in his leg. "I wasn't awake, I was just talking. He's an early riser like you and I just said, you know, as much as I tire you out at night, you're still up at 5 am and it's embarrassing."

Tristan held in the laugh that was threatening to come out. He didn't have the heart to tell her that James was anything but an early riser or that the reason he was up so early was because he hadn't slept at all thanks to them.

He decided to break it to her gently. "Rory, he knows we're having sex, and if he didn't know, he found out last night, seeing as you were none too quiet."

"Oh god," she groaned as he laughed. "This is so embarrassing, Tristan."

"James is like me, Mar, he doesn't care about these kinds of things."

She sat up and hit his arm. "Yeah and that's what's got me worried." She got up and pulled a pair of shorts from her dresser and unbuttoned his shirt she'd put on, took it off and replaced it with a white tank top.

Tristan laughed as he watched her look for a pair of socks. "Where are you going?"

"Home," she said simply, her voice muffled from being under the bed.

Tristan sighed. "You are home."

"No, I mean Stars Hollow home," she said, settling on a pair of flip flops when she couldn't find any socks that matched.

"You're leaving the apartment because you insinuated to James that we were having sex, when I outright told him years ago that we were sleeping together."

"Yes," she said weakly as she started packing a bag. "I just… it's embarrassing, Tristan, and because if I stay here with you, you're bound to do that thing you do to get me to have sex and James will hear and I'll never be able to look the guy in the eye again. So I'm going home."

Tristan smirked. "That thing I do? What thing?"

Rory blushed. "That thing where you just sort of look at me, like you're a starving man and I'm the dessert," she mumbled looking down as her face flushed.

"I look at you like that, huh? Didn't know that."

She hit his arm as he came to stand in front of her. "You know you do, liar. You do it on purpose. I can't, Tristan. I like James and all but it's weird to be here, with the fact that everyone knows that at the end of the night me and you are going to be sleeping together. It's embarrassing." She pulled away and packed some more clothes.

"You're cracked."

She sighed. "It's just until this weekend, Tristan. I need to be in Stars Hollow anyway, I have to help with the festival."

She left the room, Tristan following. "Mar, think about this. You're leaving the apartment at a quarter to seven, you get to Stars Hollow say around seven thirty, your mom doesn't even know it's daylight yet."

"The key's under the turtle, Tristan, and I'll just crawl into bed with her, or bunk down in my old room. At least when Luke gets up in the morning, he doesn't wake her up." She grabbed a traveler mug of coffee and handed it to Tristan to fill as she pulled her hair up in a messy ponytail.

Tristan smirked as he saw the sun hit the white tank top she was wearing just right. In her hurry to get ready, she seemed to have forgotten to wear a bra and with her arms above her head he could make out the dark circles of her nipples through the shirt. He eyed James who was smirking into his coffee cup but averting his eyes.

He filled the mug and handed it back to her, leaning down close. She paused mid-movement to grab the mug as his breath hit her ear. "You're not wearing a bra."

Rory looked down and groaned, grabbing the mug. "Bastard," she muttered.

"I'll see you this weekend, babe."

She harrumphed, grabbing her bag and left without a goodbye, slamming the door shut.

James looked at Tristan who was shaking his head, his shoulders quaking with laughter. "I always seem to forget," he started as he calmed a bit, "that no matter what we do together sex-wise, or what we talk about, she's still a Mary deep inside."

"Did I say something to make her leave?"

"No, she did. She's embarrassed about your early morning conversation about us having sex."

"Us?" James asked suggestively.

Tristan laughed. "Me and Rory, dip-shit. She's also embarrassed you heard us last night."

James laughed. "Looks like I won't be needing these," he said holding up the packet of earplugs Tristan had thrown at him earlier.

"Looks like."

"So where is she off to this early in the morning?"

"To her mom's. We'll see her this weekend though."

"So I kicked her out?"

"Pretty much. Don't worry about it though. She has work tomorrow, she'll be back in the morning to change, then out again. She does it when we're fighting."

James nodded understanding.


	3. Perfectly Imperfect

_You know, I feel so dirty_

_When they start talking cute_

_I wanna tell her that I love her_

_But the point is probally mute_

_**Chapter 3: Perfectly Imperfect**_ Rory walked into the apartment, wincing when the strong smell of beer hit her nose. Putting down her bag with clean laundry she walked into the living room to see her boyfriend lying on the couch, stubble grazing his cheeks and his arm over his eyes. And his best friend curled up on the recliner. 

The TV was muted, highlights of last night's baseball game were playing. The floor was littered with beer bottles and the table with open pizza boxes, all empty except for one that was full of crusts.

Sitting at the edge of the couch by Tristan's stomach, she brushed her hand over his cheek. She'd called the night before to see how he and James were holding up with the apartment to themselves, and it had sounded like he was throwing a party. He'd told her he invited a couple of friends over and they were watching the game.

Looked like the game had gone very well and she was surprised he and James hadn't died late at night from alcohol poisoning.

"Baby," she whispered, moving his arm and rubbing her cheek on his. She loved the feel of his stubble against her cheeks, she'd told him once, and he'd taken the admission to heart and grown a beard for her. It wasn't until he started looking like the Grizzly Adams that she'd told him to shave it off.

Tristan groaned at the movement. "Mar?"

"Yeah, it's me."

His eyes opened and were quickly covered by a hand which rubbed the sockets furiously. "What time is it?"

"Almost eight," she smiled. "You slept in. I'm proud, but I don't think I'm willing to get you drunk so that you'll stop waking up at five."

He gave a raspy laugh as he opened his eyes and kissed her lightly. She scrunched up her nose at the taste of beer on his tongue. "How was it last night?" She asked quietly, not wanting to wake James and leaning her forehead against his.

"Hmm, very good, we won."

"I know. Luke was watching, but me and mom got bored and changed it. He made us change it back towards the end. How many were here?"

"'Bout five. Me, James, Derek, Chase and Embry."

"Aw, you and your military buddies," she teased, knowing that he'd met Chase and Embry in military school and had gotten along because they'd all come from Hartford and were sent to the school as a last resort.

"Yeah. Derek's getting married."

"He is? That's great," she smiled. "Chelsea, right?"

Tristan nodded licking his lips. "Yeah, he's really happy. We're invited. I'm his best man."

"Cool."

"And Chelsea's going to ask you to be a bridesmaid."

"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride," she teased.

"Embry's got a girlfriend too. He's thinking seriously of asking her to marry him."

"Rosalie?"

"Yeah."

"What about Chase and James?"

"Chase is loving the single life," he said running a hand through her hair, pushing it away from her face and holding it behind her head. "And James isn't really into dating."

"Hmm." she hummed, having a good idea why.

"So with all the talk of marriage I started thinking."

She smiled. "Was this a drunken thinking or was this a very sober thinking? Or was it a sober thought in a drunken haze sort of thinking?"

"Uh…." he screwed up his face and winced.

She laughed quietly. "Hurt your head trying to think?"

"Yeah, I did," he said clearing his thoughts.

"It's because you guys didn't precuperate," Rory said shaking her head sadly.

"Precuperate?" Tristan asked confused.

"Yeah, from the word Precuperation, it's a noun. It means the duration of time before a big blowout where someone prepares for the almost certainty of being hung over."

"I don't think that's in the dictionary."

"It's in the Gilmore dictionary."

"Right."

"Me and mom take it to heart. Why do you think that I was never hung over in college? Because I took all day before a big party _you _dragged me to to prepare. It's why I'm such a good drunk."

"Baby, you're a bad drunk." he laughed.

"I am not."

"You sing."

"I do not!"

"Yeah, you do. Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, you sing."

Rory gasped. "No!"

Tristan laughed. "Yeah. I don't think precuperation works."

She glared at him. "You're making it all up. You're just mad because I've never shared with you the magical powers of the Precuperation."

"Fine, I won't show you the videos I have for blackmailing purposes."

"I don't sing."

"You do too."

Rory shook her head, glaring at him as she returned to the previous topic. "So you were thinking while drunk..."

"I _was_ thinking," he agreed knowing, "but I was sober at that time."

"And what were these thoughts, Mr. DuGray."

"That you put on that ring you found a few months back in my sock drawer."

Rory gasped and tried to pull away from him, but the hand that was holding the hair away from her face kept her in place. "I found no such ring."

"Bull," he laughed. "I saw you looking at the box, just as I came into the room. You couldn't close my sock drawer fast enough."

She smiled. "It _is_ a pretty ring."

"Yes, it is."

"And it _did_ fit my ring finger perfectly."

"It should. I stole one of your rings to get it sized."

"And it's not too flashy, but flashy enough to catch certain people's attention."

"I thought of that when I bought it," he nodded.

"And this is a completely sober thing, right? You're not telling me to wear it because Derek and Embry are getting married and you want to be in with them. This is because you want to, and because…"

"You're the one," he whispered. "That's why."

"Me?"

"You, always, now, forever. You're the one. Sort of realized that when Embry was talking about Rosalie, how he knew certain little things about her. And I got to thinking, that I know little things about you too. Little things that I love about you."

"Like what?"

"Like that while everything else in this apartment is neat and structured, our room is a mess, because you like the chaos of it. Makes you feel more at home. It's why you never get angry when I just drop my clothes on the floor of our room, but get angry when I leave my ties on the back of kitchen chairs."

Rory laughed. "True."

"And how you have to have at least three cups of coffee before going to work. Two at home before you go, then one at the Starbucks near the office. Or how you name all of our appliances. Or how you call my penis Princess Sophia."

Rory laughed loud at that one, blushing and covering her mouth to keep the giggles in. "I love that you let me."

"I want to spend my life with you, Rory. I mean I'm not big on marriage, I mean look at my parents. Look at yours. But, I know that it's big in your book, so I'm willing to dress up for the night, let you plan your perfect wedding, just for me to have you for the rest of my life. Maybe have a few kids."

"Kids?"

Tristan nodded. "Kids."

Rory smiled. "I have to go to work."

"Rory, will you marry me?"

Rory bit her lip and tangled her hand with his that was in her hair, pulling it away and kissing the palm. "You'll have my answer when I come out of the room."

"You're mean."

"And you're hung over," she laughed. "Go make me some coffee."

"Right."

"And I missed Princess Sophia last night."

Tristan laughed as she got off the couch and flounced towards their room. He propped himself on his elbows watching her with a smile. He knew that when she walked out of that room, she'd be wearing the ring on her finger. Getting up, he took the time to let the room come into better focus, before getting up and going to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. And get some Advil and water for him and James.

He had woken up the minute she'd come into the apartment and watched them with half closed eyes. How they stayed in the same position the entire time. How their eyes shone with every single emotion, from playfulness to genuine happiness.

He felt weird as he had watched the private moment, watching Tristan ask her to marry him. It was the most perfect imperfect way to ask. And it was very them when he thought about it. But couldn't help but feel like a perverted freak watching them.

Stretching and rubbing his eyes, he unfolded himself from the recliner and went to the kitchen where Tristan was making coffee.

"Morning," James said.

"Hey," Tristan said. "I left you some Advil and water on the counter."

"Aww, didn't know you cared."

Tristan smirked taking a drink of his water and looking at James. "So how much did you hear?"

"Hear?"

"Of my and Rory's conversation this morning."

"Rory's here?" He asked in mock surprise.

Tristan laughed. "It's okay if you heard you know."

"Aren't you afraid of her saying no?"

"She won't say no," Tristan laughed. "She's been hinting at marriage since she found the ring three months ago."

"Do you want to get married?"

"To her, yeah. She has this idea of what she wants her wedding to be like. Stars Hollow in winter. Supposed to be magical." He shrugged. "You know me, ever since my parents started having problems, my idea of marriage shattered. I didn't think I'd ever want that. The hassle of getting married to someone that I thought I loved only to have it turn out to fade as years go by.

"Then I met Rory, and the years went by and we didn't see each other for years, and when we did, the feeling I had in high school was still there, and it's still there every morning when I wake up with her, or I see her at the end of summer. I love her, and I know that won't go away. So if it means having to put on a suit and do the whole wedding thing, then why not."

James nodded. "You really love her."

"Never thought it would happen, huh?"

"It's amazing," James nodded.

The door to the bedroom Rory and Tristan shared room opened and they heard heels hitting the floor as Rory come into he kitchen, dressed in a black skirt and a black short sleeved shirt tucked in. Her feet were covered in open toe heels and her hair swept up in a messy yet professional looking twist.

"Is there any leftover pizza from last night?"

"Sorry, babe," Tristan shrugged, noticing that she was hiding her left hand from view.

"What about pop tarts?"

"Uh, I think I ate the last ones. Sorry," James winced.

"Damn." She opened the cabinet as Tristan handed her a mug. She looked at him, knowing she'd have to use her left hand to grab the mug. Biting her lip, she grabbed the mug. Tristan smiled when he saw the ring.

"I can make you something," Tristan said. Rory let out a breath of relief that he hadn't said anything in front of James.

She closed the cabinet and shook her head taking a drink. "No, I'm going to go put on my makeup and hit Starbucks on the way to work. Get a scone or something." She got on her tiptoes and kissed him. "But I love that you asked."

"Are you still staying with your mom this week?"

"Yep. I'll stop by after work though, have dinner if you want me to. I need to clear off the bedroom floor. We have more dirty laundry that I can wash over there."

"Did you wash already?"

"There's a bag of clean clothes in front of the door. Surprisingly all the socks I washed were not matches. So I have to go back and look for the matches. I say we just wear flip flops all year round."

"Your toes will freeze in the winter," he pointed out.

"So? It's why we have the fireplace, duh."

"You mean that's not just a makeshift dryer?" Tristan asked surprised.

Rory shook her head and kissed him again. "I'll be in the bathroom. How's the head?"

"Better."

"Good." She gave him another kiss before walking out of the kitchen, saying good morning to James and disappearing.

"Told you she'd say yes," Tristan smirked before pulling out some eggs from the fridge, deciding he'd make her breakfast.

James nodded. "Yeah, you told me," he said quietly as he watched Tristan make breakfast.

"And I want you to be best man, once we set the date and all." Tristan said pointing the spatula he'd grabbed from the drawer at him. James could tell Tristan was already getting ahead of himself with the wedding, probably more excited about being a husband then he let on.

James nodded, "Yeah, of course man, you know I'll be there."

Tristan smiled as he went back to cooking sighed when he felt his feelings shift just a bit more. This week was getting harder and harder to get through. He wondered if it would be difficult to be around Rory and Tristan in a month, let alone three months.


	4. The Mirror Incident

_I play along with the charade_

_There doesn't seem to be a reason to change_

_**Chapter 4: The Mirror Incident**_

The week went by fast. Rory was in and out of the apartment. She came early in the morning to change, then left early in the evening after dinner, with a bag of laundry on her shoulder.

Saturday came and James and Tristan found themselves in Tristan's car on their way to Stars Hollow. Tristan had packed the last two bags of dirty laundry in the back seat. And James had to wonder how he and Rory had anything to wear with all the laundry she'd been taking from the apartment and bringing back.

They turned on an exit James had never noticed before. He must have driven down that freeway a million times and had never noticed the old exit that led to a dirt road before.

"I never noticed it either," Tristan told him as if he had read his mind. "Not until Rory and me started dating and I spent the night down here. And when you finally do notice it, you wonder how you never noticed it before." He made a left at a giant ceramic rooster and James was taken aback by the sight.

The town was minuscule. People were wondering the streets and barely any cars were passing. From what he could tell just looking at what he assumed was the town center, they were the only car driving past.

"It's small. But Rory loves it here."

"And you?"

Tristan nodded. "And me. It's different from what we grew up with, you know, those big houses that were empty, maids taking care of us. I love it here. Rory wants to get a place here."

"What do you think?"

Tristan shrugged as he turned into what James assumed was Rory's driveway. "I'd like to. But right now Hartford works for both of us since we both work down there. Maybe later, once we settle down, start a family. Then yeah, Stars Hollow would be nice."

James got out of the car, seemed like things were coming together for Tristan. He closed the door as Tristan grabbed the bags of laundry. The door slammed open and Rory came running out, in a short denim skirt and a pink tank top, her hair parted in the middle and put in two braids.

"Tris!" She yelled. Tristan opened his arms, letting her jump into his arms and wrap her legs around his waist.

"Hey! We saw each other last night." he laughed.

"I've had to deal with my mom."

"You love your mom."

"Ha!"

"Rory!" A older version of Rory came out of the house, her hands on her hips, dressed in shorts and blue tank top, her hair the same way like Rory's, only instead of braids she had two pigtails. Tristan tightened his grip on Rory and smiled at his future mother-in-law.

"Lorelai," he said kissing her cheek.

"Tristan," she said. She looked over and saw James leaning against the car's hood. "Who's he?"

"That's James, he's my best friend."

"Your Lane?"

"Yeah, he's my Lane," Tristan laughed. Rory tightened her grip on Tristan's neck. "Now what's wrong with my fiancée?"

Lorelai smiled. "That's right, you two are getting married."

"We are," Tristan said not being able to help the grin that spread on his face.

Lorelai nodded in approval and waved her hand over Rory as if dismissing her problems. "And she's just overreacting."

Rory loosened her grip and let her legs fall free from his waist, a sound of indignation leaving her lips as he set her down on her feet. She turned and let his hands fall around her waist as she faced her mother. "You're being impossible!"

"Me! I'm being impossible?!"

"Thirteen times!"

"You could give Lindsey Lohan a run for her money, you drama queen!"

"You made me move that heavy ten foot mirror thirteen times! I told you, 'Wait until the guys come and they'll be happy to move it for you!' But did you listen to me? No, of course not, because Lorelai Victoria Gilmore knows all."

"What's going on?" Tristan asked.

"Mom bought a new mirror," Rory said turning to face him, his hands settling on her hips.

"It's an antique," Lorelai interjected.

"_Was_ an antique" Rory corrected, glaring at her mother before turning back to Tristan. "And she wanted it moved from the downstairs bathroom to the upstairs guest bathroom, because it fits better up there."

"It does, the downstairs bathroom looks less crowded without it, and the upstairs bathroom looks empty without it."

"So I told her that I wasn't going to help her move it, to wait for you and James and you guys would be happy to do it, because you're guys and you're in shape."

"Of course," Tristan nodded, smirking over at James who was listening intently.

"I even asked her why she hadn't asked Luke."

"It's 'cause he doesn't have any strong buddies and Sookie and Jackson are out of town with Davie and Martha, so no one could help him," Lorelai said.

"So she comes up with the brilliant idea for us to move it."

"Oh no," Tristan sighed knowing this wasn't going to be good.

"So mom decides that the most logical and easiest way to move it would be to rig it so that one of us pulls it from downstairs and the other from upstairs."

"It worked when I had it in my head."

"Yeah, she pulled too hard and now we can't get married for seven years!"

Tristan looked over at James who was laughing, back over to Lorelai who was studying her feet with great interest, and then back at Rory who seemed to be near tears. "Why can't we get married for seven years?"

She pulled him away from the car and towards the house. "Just be careful," she said as they entered the foyer, Lorelai and James bringing up the rear. Tristan paused in the living room, seeing what Rory meant.

From the ceiling hung a long piece of rope that he assumed had been tied around the mirror, the frame was now lying at the base of the stairs, face down, surrounded with large shards of glass.

"You broke the mirror?"

"And now we can't get married for seven years, because then we're going to have this bad luck hovering over our heads."

"You will, I won't. I wasn't the one that broke the mirror."

Rory's jaw dropped open in shock as she looked at him. "Excuse me?"

"Hey, you should have tried harder to convince your mom to wait for us."

Rory hit his arm. "You're making fun of this!"

"No, Rory…"

"I can't set a date because my mother decided to make me carry a mirror up the stairs and in the long run ended up breaking it. My toe is killing me from where the base hit it, and _now_ you're making fun of the situation."

"Wow, did not know that this was going to be blamed on Tristan," Lorelai nodded. "Yeah, this works."

"Rory." He looked over at James who shrugged at the situation. "How 'bout you and Lorelai go to Luke's get some lunch and when you get back, James and I will have the glass and mirror all cleaned up."

Rory gave a sigh and looked at her mom before nodding. "Fine."

"Okay." He kissed her lightly as she and Lorelai left the living room and the house. As they shut the door, he heard their laughter and hung his head in a defeated sigh.

"I just got Gilmored." he sighed shaking his head.

"Yeah, I think you did, man."

Tristan shook his head. "I'll go get the broom, I think they still have one. You start picking up the base and the large pieces."

James nodded as he picked up the large circular brass base and leaned it back against the stairs. He quietly congratulated himself in his choice to wear closed hard sole shoes, instead of the flip flops he'd been contemplating. He did as Tristan told him, picking up the large pieces and scooting the smaller pieces together

"Okay, found the broom and the dust pan."

"So you do this often?"

"Do what often?"

"Play the Gilmore maid."

"Ha ha ha," Tristan laughed sarcastically as he started sweeping up the small shards. "No, I don't, but I know that if Luke sees this mess, he's going to get mad that Lorelai didn't wait for him."

"Won't he get mad anyway if he sees the broken mirror?"

Tristan laughed "I highly doubt Luke even knows she had this mirror. So if we get this cleaned up, he won't ever know."

"Wow, those women have logic."

Tristan laughed. "Yes, they do."

"So tell me more about how you and Rory met. I just heard about you guys meeting in high school and seeing each at the pub and obviously hitting it off."

"Nothing really to tell," Tristan shrugged helping with the big pieces. "A mutual friend of ours was getting a get together at the pub with a bunch of his friends. You know Derek?"

James nodded. "Yeah, my replacement."

Tristan rolled his eyes. It had been a joke between him, James and Derek when they had first met that Derek was James's replacement, because Tristan had become friends with him once James had left. They all got along great, but in the beginning James had been a bit bitter about Derek spending more time with Tristan.

"Well, Derek knew Rory from their English class and got to be really good friends. So when he had the get together, we saw each other and just sort of picked up where we left off."

"With you teasing her and her hating you?"

Tristan opened his mouth to correct him, but shook his head. "Something like that. Before she had a chance to yell at me, I went up to her and apologized, for everything. For messing with her boyfriend at the time, for bugging her so much, for making her first year hard for her, when I should have just been a friend without any ulterior motives." He shrugged. "She seemed to like that."

"I bet."

"Yeah, I mean she did sleep with me that night."

James paused and looked at him "What?"

Tristan nodded sweeping the rug by the couch, making sure there were no shards of glass. "It wasn't a drunken thing. We just sat at the bar the entire night talking and catching up with each other and one thing led to another and we slept together."

"Did she regret it?"

"No, she said that though we were going too fast for her liking, she really did like me and wanted to get to know me better before she jumped into bed with me again."

"How long?"

Tristan paused. "Did we go before we slept together again or had sex?"

"What?"

He shrugged. "I'm a teddy bear." He laughed, his face a bit red. "After a few of our dates we slept in the same bed together. Nothing happened, we just slept, but we spent about a year before we had sex."

"You're serious?" James asked surprise in his voice, he hadn't known Tristan to last that long.

Tristan did the quick count in his head. "Yeah, we started dating in September. I mean we fooled around, but really slept together… yeah I'd say a year. We had sex the August that she got back from Europe. Actually, it was about two days after you left."

"Huh."

"I can go without sex," Tristan laughed. "Just makes the sex better when we have it. You know all that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' shit. Makes the sex better too."

James laughed. "Right."

"What about you, any special girls in your life? You're usually telling me about one or two girls in your harem."

James laughed. "Right, my harem." He rolled his eyes. "No one's caught my attention. All those California beach blonde's annoy me. They say 'like' every like other like word."

"Like," Tristan laughed.

"Or they all have boyfriends. All the good ones are taken. Guess I should have wised up and gotten myself a girl early. Could be married by now."

"You'll find her."

James sighed and looked at Tristan with doubt. "Sure."

"You will meet one. You're attractive and you're smart, witty, you know how to treat a girl. Any girl would be lucky to have you."

"Uh huh, sure."

Tristan laughed. "I'm serious, man, and I mean if I can get a girl like Rory, you can get a girl like Rory."

James nodded, not quite sure if it was true. Half an hour later, just as they were throwing away the last pieces of glass into the large trash bin outside, the women came in, arms full of Luke's bags which they put on the kitchen table.

"Okay boys, food's here."

"Great, I'm starving," Tristan said sitting at the table as Rory put his hamburger and fries in front of him. "Thanks, babe."

"Thank you for cleaning up," she said kissing the top of his head.

Lorelai gave James a Styrofoam box filled with food as he sat down. "So tell me, Tristan, future son-in-law, where did you get Rory's ring?"

Tristan laughed as Rory settled on his lap, stealing some of his fries. "I got it at a small jewelry store in New York."

"Tiffany's isn't small, Tristan," James pointed out biting into his burger.

"That's because it wasn't Tiffany's," Tristan laughed. "It's just this hole in the wall store, no one would look at the door twice if you didn't know you were looking for it. A friend turned me onto it and I found her ring."

"And it cost…" Lorelai trailed off.

"None of your bees wax."

"Ohh," Rory said laughing. "Burn."

"And you stop stealing my fries." He took the plate away, causing Rory to pout and all of them to laugh as Tristan handed her her own plate and take out box.


	5. The Closing Chapter

_You know, I wish that I had Jessie's girlfriend_

_I wish that I had Jessie's girl_

_Where can I find a woman like that_

_**Chapter 5: The Closing Chapter**_

"Okay, here are the rules," Taylor said over his loudspeaker as the town gathered at the gazebo, dressed in their bathing suits at 5 in the evening. It was still hot out, but the light, humid breeze made it perfect for a water balloon fight.

Rory snuggled up to Tristan's side as they listened to Taylor. She was in her dark blue bikini top, her hair still in the braids and her skirt covering the bikini bottoms, while Tristan and James were in swim trunks, Tristan in black ones with a dragon on the left leg while James was in white ones with green Hawaiian flowers on them.

"All water balloons must stay inside the town square!" Taylor said.

"He says that every year and every year a whole lot of them splash their way on the Doose's Market windows or the Ice Cream Shoppe."

"I bet half of them are you and your mom." Tristan whispered to her.

"You bet right," she laughed, curling her hand on his stomach.

"After the fight, all water balloon scraps must be picked up! A prize to the person who gets the most."

"Kirk," Rory coughed, looking at the bouncing Kirk who seemed to be limbering up for the fight and was unfortunately in Speedos and also wearing swimming goggles. Both men winced at the sight of his pale chest.

"Water balloons have been filled by all of you and have been placed in strategic part of the town square. They are there…" Taylor pointed with two fingers, much like a stewardess, to his side. "There..." He pointed in front of him where four large bins were full of multicolored water balloons. "And there," he said pointing behind him. "Water guns are, of course, allowed, but for the use of getting people wet."

"I'll get you wet," Tristan whispered in Rory's ear, causing her to smack his chest, looking at James who was smirking.

"Now everyone to your positions."

Rory let go of Tristan. "I'll see you guys later."

"Hey, where are you off too?" he asked curling his fingers around hers as she started bouncing away, trying to pull her back to him.

"My position, duh." She flounced off as James and Tristan went to one of the bins and picked up water balloons.

"On my whistle," Taylor said putting a whistle to his lips. Tristan watched as he sucked in air, about to blow, when a water balloon hit the side of his head. He looked over from where it came to see Rory and Lane high-fiving each other at the way they had started the water balloon fight.

He felt the sting of cold water hit his back. Turning to see where it came from, he saw James smirking, holding another water balloon. Nodding, he wiped at his back before launching the one in his hand at James just as he felt yet another wave of cold water hit his shoulder.

Turning he saw Rory holding a Super Soaker, a wicked smile on her face. He grabbed another balloon and launched it at her, but he felt water hit him yet again and saw Lane aiming at him with her own water gun.

"Is everyone aiming at me?" He asked loudly.

"Yes!" They all responded as James threw another balloon and Rory and Lane were soaking him with water.

James laughed as Tristan stood still letting the water hit him, before running after Rory who dropped her gun and left running. He felt Lane sidle closer to him, her hands up in defense.

"I come in peace," she said as they both watched Rory and Tristan running. Tristan caught up with her, picking her up from her waist and holding her, her back to his chest and whispering in her ear, causing her to struggle to get away. "So how long?"

"What?"

Lane laughed. "How long have you been in love?"

James looked at her wide-eyed. "What?"

"Oh come on! Tristan's your best friend, of course he's not going to notice something that's obviously there. And neither will Rory, she's always been oblivious to people's feelings, even her own, so she's not going to notice. So how long?"

James looked at Lane in shock. He'd met her not five minutes ago and she knew everything. "Are you going to tell…?"

She shrugged "Not my secret to tell, is it, but knowing how close you are to Tristan, you're not going to tell him, because you don't want to ruin what he and Rory have. And neither will I. Your secret is safe with me? So… how long?"

James turned back to the couple who were now kissing in the middle of the water balloon fight, completely oblivious that people were throwing balloons at them to get them to move. "Since I met him."

"That is so sweet," she whispered. She grabbed a water balloon and threw it up in the air lightly, catching it, and repeating. "It looks like Tristan and Rory are a bit occupied and forgot all about us."

James sighed. "Looks like."

"So I say we hang together the rest of the day. In about five minutes they'll disappear and we won't see them again till the fight winds down."

James nodded. "Sounds good."

"Great," Lane smiled smashing the balloon on top of his head, running for Rory's gun and handing it to him. "Fair play and all," she said waving her own gun at him.

James nodded, a smile gracing his lips as he ran after the girl. It wasn't who he wanted to be chasing, but it would take his mind off it, and he would have fun.

"Want to get out of here?" Tristan asked as he led Rory away from the fight, both dripping wet.

Rory placed her lips in the middle of his chest, catching the water drops with her tongue.

"I mean we haven't celebrated our engagement and all," he said, leaning down and sucking the water that had landed at the base of her shoulder.

Rory nodded. "Right, celebrate."

He pulled her away and walked towards the empty house. She opened the door and walked him towards her old bedroom, Tristan's lips finding hers and dragging them down her chin, to her neck, and moving down as she closed her bedroom door, making sure it was locked before they tumbled onto the small twin bed.

Having had practice maneuvering their way on her old bed before, Tristan arranged himself on top of her, his thigh between her legs. His lips found the pulse point behind her ear and sucked, causing her back to arch against his chest and his name to roll off her lips in a quiet moan.

He felt her breathing quicken and smirked as she realized just why he'd placed his leg between hers. He continued his work behind her ear, as his fingers worked the knot at the base of her neck to remove her bikini top.

Laughing at his inability to take her top off, she raised her head, moving her hands from their previous position on his shoulders to undo the knot and remove the top, throwing it on the floor.

"Beautiful," he muttered before taking one of her rosy nipples into his mouth. She squealed laughing, as his hot breath contrasted with the cold of the water she still felt. Getting accustomed to the feeling, she felt him move to the other one, repeating his ministrations of licking, sucking, nibbling, soothing.

Her fingers made their way to the tie of his swim trunks and untied the small knot before pushing them down with the palms of her hands. She heard him hiss as her palm made contact with his hardened member, his back stiffening as she stroked him lightly.

"Rory," he growled, leaning his head against her neck, licking the little droplets of water that were still there.

"I don't think we've gone longer than a week," she whispered, kissing his bare shoulder. "I don't think we've ever lasted."

"Rory," he groaned as her hand quickened its pace, her thumb circling his tip, then trailing up.

She smiled against his shoulder. "It's nice."

He groaned. Since when did she become a talker during sex. "What is?"

"To have you at my mercy."

He forced a laugh to escape. "If I knew you liked that kind of thing, I would have let you have your way with me sooner," he forced out.

She turned her head so she could kiss his lips, her tongue tracing the outline of his lips before letting her tongue dive into his mouth, his tongue meeting hers, fighting for the control.

His hands entangled with hers that had his member in its grip, and made her let go. He wanted to be buried inside her when he came. Bringing her hand over her head, his hand delved between them once more, ridding her of the last piece of clothing.

"Condom?" He asked hoarsely.

Her hand reached out for her nightstand, where she kept the condoms for when they slept over. Not being able to reach, Tristan reached over, but she took that moment to shift her leg, so that it was around his waist. Losing his balance at the sudden shift, he overreached the nightstand, and toppled onto the floor, bringing Rory down with him.

Rory laughed into his chest, raising herself to straddle his hips. He pushed her hair out of her face as she laughed.

"That..." she laughed, "Was graceful."

"That," he laughed with her, "Hurt my back."

"Old man," she whispered, kissing his lips lightly. She raised herself up opening the nightstand drawer that was now within the reach and grabbed a condom. She had just closed the drawer again, before Tristan rolled them over, taking the condom package from her hands, tearing it open and rolling it on.

He thrust into her in one swift movement, causing them both to groan from the intimate contact. She moved her hips biting her lip as he pulled out and thrust into her again, harder, faster.

The sounds emitting from her lips spurred him on as he nuzzled his nose to her neck, his tongue grazing the column of her throat as she called his name out in ecstasy, clamping around him, her nails digging into his back and bringing him to his own peak. He groaned out her name as he released himself.

He turned onto his back, bringing her to rest on his chest, her leg thrown over his hips as they regained their normal states of breathing.

She kissed his chest mumbling a quiet 'I love you'.

"Hmm." he stroked her damp hair. He felt her chest move and looked down to see her chuckling softly. "What?"

"Someone once said "Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world.' And this moment just reminded me of that..."

Tristan laughed. "All I heard was 'Shed one's clothes'."

She laughed as she kissed his shoulder. "It reminded me of that because I knew you'd say that."

"Oh really?"

"Really, you're just that predictable, Mr. DuGray."

"Really?" He asked mischievously, causing Rory to look him in the eye. "Is that a challenge, Miss Gilmore?"

She smiled knowing just what was on his mind. "Why yes, Mr. DuGray, it is."

"Well, why don't you open up that condom drawer again and we'll see just how predictable I am."

Rory laughed as she opened the drawer, taking out the box of condoms and setting them by his head. "The gauntlet has been thrown."

He laughed as he flipped her around again and kissed her. "Good thing too, because I wasn't even done with you."

* * *

"You know you're still welcome here, man," Tristan said leaning against the door jamb of the guest bedroom.

"I know, but I haven't seen my dad yet and he's shelling out for an extra bedroom down in New York. And he's planning a father/son trip for us."

"Sounds fun."

"Plus you and Rory need space and I feel like I'm intruding on it, so I think I'm going to head out."

"Oh come on, you know Rory likes you."

"I know," he said zipping up his bag. "But she probably wants to plan the wedding as well. Who wants to plan with someone else around? It's a special time in your guys life and I'm just here."

"Whatever you want I guess."

James looked at him. He was in his boxers and undershirt, drinking coffee. Rory was in the kitchen on her laptop, finishing up some work that she hadn't finished during their Stars Hollow visit and she needed done before she headed for work in a couple of hours.

"But you'll still coming back for the last three weeks of August, right? We'll do the traditional barbecue at Chase's. I'm bringing Rory this year, seeing as Embry and Derek are breaking the rules and bringing their girlfriends."

"Fiancées now."

"Yeah, that's right."

James shrugged. "Maybe. I'll call and see what my dad has planned?"

"All right," Tristan nodded, grabbing one of James' bags and following him out of the room.

Rory come out of the kitchen and eyed the bags. "Leaving without saying goodbye, James?"

James laughed. "No, of course not." He hugged her and whispered goodbye, but she held him tighter.

"Don't ditch him because he loves me, I don't think he could take it," she whispered.

He held her a bit tighter. Looked like she wasn't as oblivious as Lane thought."I won't. Just take care of him."

She pulled back, wiping her eyes at the understanding they came to. "I will. Bye James."

"See ya, Rory."

Tristan kissed her forehead. "I'll be back in a bit, going to walk James out."

"Babe, put some pants on," Rory said turning him towards their bedroom.

"Right." A few seconds later he came out in his running shorts and followed James out, helping with his bags. They leaned against the descending elevator silently until James broke the silence.

"I'm happy for you, Tristan."

Tristan looked over at him. "Thanks."

"Your life is finally together, you've got a great girl and you'll have great kids."

"Jeez, we're not even married yet and you're giving us kids?" Tristan laughed

"You know what I mean," James said as they got off the elevator and towards the exit to the waiting taxi. "I'm just glad you got the girl is all. I'm glad you found that someone to spend the rest of your life with, willingly. It's great to see that, you give me a ray of hope that someday I will find that someone."

Tristan winced as they put his bags in the trunk. "You're getting sappy on me, man."

James leaned against the cab door and opened his mouth. This was the moment, he could either break their friendship by telling Tristan he loved him or he could keep silent and let it stew.

"Tristan…"

"Yeah?"

"I…" Wincing he sighed. "I think Derek, Chase or Embry should be your best man."

Tristan frowned. "But I want you."

James winced, wishing that those words held a different context "I just… I don't know if I'll be able to come though."

Tristan laughed. "Come on, man, me and Rory haven't even set the date."

"Just… please, choose someone else. Just do me this one favor"

Tristan frowned but nodded. "Sure. I'll choose one of the other guys."

"Thanks… I've got to go now." He opened the door and waved a quick goodbye before getting in the taxi and telling the driver where to go. Leaning his head back as the air from the weak air conditioner hit him, he wondered if he'd able to tell Tristan he was gay. Let alone tell Tristan that his first love had been him.

He doubted it. One thing he was going to do was to tell his dad. If he was going to spend two months with the man, he was at least going to spend it without his father trying tot fix him up with eligible bachelorettes. Hopefully he'd find a bachelor that could make him take his mind off Tristan, even if it was for a short time.

Tristan watched the taxi disappear from view before turning and heading back to the apartment, wondering why his best friend seemed so distant all of a sudden. The frown marred his features the entire ride to the apartment. He opened the door and found Rory sitting on the couch, a huge smile on her face, causing the frown to disappear and a smile to appear on his face as well.

"What are you so happy about?"

"September 29th," she said sitting on her knees and putting her hands on the top of the couch as Tristan walked over to her.

"September 29th?"

Rory nodded. "That's the day we met."

"No, we met on the 20th, that's the day Derek had his get together."

"No, baby, that's the day we got together. The day we first met. September 29th. I remember 'cause I enrolled in Chilton about a month late. Remember, I was a mid year transfer. We met on the 29th. That's the day I started."

"Okay, the 29th," he nodded. "Why are you telling me?"

"Because _that_ is the day of our wedding."

Tristan smirked. "It is and I have no say?"

"Nope, I chose the romantic value of our wedding day and I choose the day we officially met and you hit on me."

Tristan nodded, "Well, I like it."

"Well good, 'cause I wasn't changing it anyway," she smiled. "We're getting married in a year."

"Yes, we are," he whispered as he leaned down and kissed her, but couldn't help the oddness of James's leaving return to his thoughts. He had a feeling he wouldn't be seeing James at the end of August or at the wedding or for years.

Watching Rory pull back and pat his arm, she told him she had to get to work and he better get in the shower to make it into the office. He nodded and watched her leave before standing in the middle of the empty apartment.

He had the perfect life, a fiancée he loved with every inch of his body and soul, a job he happened to love, in- laws that loved him, he was financially stable. But he felt a sudden loss, as if he wasn't quite ready to close the chapter where he'd be able to hang out with his best friend anymore. He wasn't ready to lose that friendship.

Sighing he ran a hand through his hair. He'd call James in a few days and tell him the date of the wedding, making sure he was absolutely positive about not being the best man. Going into their mess of a bedroom, he found his suit rumpled in the corner and pursued to find a semi clean and un-rumpled shirt.

He absolutely loved his life.

_**End**_

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

_**A.N: **_Okay, so I hope you all enjoyed this! I know i had a lot of fun writing it, even if I did complain about it. Here are the requirements that I needed to fulfill for the summer challenge

_**Word Count: **_12163

_**Pairing: **_Trory

_**Rating: **_M

_**Time Period: **_Future

_**Ickle Word: **_Precuperation - Noun - The duration of time before a big blowout where someone prepares for the almost certainty of being hung over

Schmoopy – (adj) – To be sweet and adorable and cute to the point where it creates an entirely new word to describe it.

_**Quote: **_"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world." - Ada Louise Huxtable

_**Random Object: **_Mirror

Hope you all enjoyed!

Remember leave a review! I love them!

Kassandra


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